News Release

Witness Assistance

The province’s Special Investigations Unit has started an investigation into a collision involving a diplomatic vehicle that happened in Toronto on February 16, 2017.

Preliminary information indicates the following occurred:

Just before 4:00 p.m. on February 16, 2017, Toronto Police Service officers attempted to stop a vehicle that was driving in the Bloor Street West and Islington Avenue area.

There was an interaction with the vehicle’s occupants and the vehicle fled.

A short time later, the fleeing vehicle struck another vehicle in the intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road and Dundas Street West. The vehicle that was struck had diplomatic license plates.

A third vehicle was also struck in the collision.

The two occupants of the fleeing vehicle were arrested.

The male driver of the vehicle with diplomatic plates was taken to hospital with a serious upper body injury.

A Toronto Police officer was also taken to hospital with an injury.

Four investigators, two forensic investigators, and one collision reconstructionist have been assigned to investigate this incident.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation

depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid